Children's Health Equity

The Hospital's Office of Government Relations hypothesis is that the Commonwealth is underinvesting in public health approaches to supporting children’s health and well-being and children’s primary and preventative health care services relative to adult health. Relative to supporting the health and well-being of children, the state’s health care and public health dollars are more heavily invested downstream to treat illness and disease, and in adult health care services. Massachusetts children living in low-income communities, communities of color, and rural areas receive less healthc spending and less access to high-quality healthcare services. Relative to similarly affluent states or countries, Massachusetts spends comparatively less on pediatric healthcare services and public health approaches to support the health and well-being of children. Students will analyze state government and health care spending (with a special focus on MassHealth / Medicaid) on children’s health, pediatric care, and well-being to identify underinvestment and gaps in spending on children and compare spending levels to national spending, similar states, or affluent countries.